Well drilling apparatus



Dec. 31, 1940. G. Hx-:lNxsH WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed June 2l', '1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3l, 1940. G. HElNisl-l WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed June 2l, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dm. 31, 1940. Q HEINISH 2,227,409

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS ATTO RN EY@ Patented Dec. 31, 191.10v

UNIT ED STATES lfiiqENT UFFICE VVK-ELL DRILLING AKBARATUS corporation f Ohio Application June 1, 1939, SerialNo. 280,341

13 Claims.

This invention relates vto well drilling apparatus of the type that comprises spudding mechanism, and more especially it relates to `improvements in the control'of `the recoil of the spudder shock abo sorbing mechanism such as occurs following the stroke or drop of the bit or drilling tool.

The invention isan improvement upon the well drilling apparatus constituting the subject matter of my prior U. S. Patent No; 2,145,352, issued January 3l, 1939.

It has been found that in the drilling of a well with cable tools, the naturalperiod of vibration and load cycle varies according to the increased depth to which the-wellis drilled. Since the customary shock absorbing mechanism has a definite recoil or vibration period inherent to itself, it is obvious that Without somemeans to alter this constant period, the shock absorber will not remain properly timed with the natural action of the tools.

Hence, one of the chief objects of the invention is to provide means on a drilling apparatus to change certain of the normal characteristics of the customary resilient shock absorbing mechanism, so as to maintainia. properly timed or synchronized relationship between the tools and the shock absorber.

It has also been found that when the-tools become stuck-in a hole it is necessary to jar them loose, which operation can best be accomplished by eliminating the normal action of the shock absorbing mechanism; therefore another object ofthe inventionisto utilize the same means `that is used' for adjusting the recoil of the shock absorbing mechanism substantially, or even completely, to eliminate saidnormalshock absorbing'action.

Other objects ofthe invention are to eliminate shock peak loads; to reduce the strain on the drilling line; tomake possible the use of equipment of light weight construction; toprovide a construction which enables faster drilling; to protect the machine against jars andjolts; and to reduce the number of fishing jobs due to broken 45' drill lines. Further objects will be manifestes the description proceeds.

Of 'the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one of a pair of` spudder arms, the parts thereof being in the relative positions they occupy when the free end of the arm asa whole is depressed to raise the bit or drilling tool, said section being taken substantially on the line I-I ofFig; 2;

Fig; 2 is a plan View of'oneof the spudder arms;

Fig. 3 `is a section, on a: larger scale, of the free (Cl. Z55-16) end of the spudde-r arm shown in Fig. 1, the parts thereof being in the relative positions they occupy when the free end of the spudder arm is elevated, to lower the drilling tool and with the resilient member of the shock absorbing mechanism under fully compression;

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig, 3, the parts thereof being in the intermediate positions they assume in taking up slack in the drill line following the dropping of the drilling tools.

Fig. 5'is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a valve element of the apparatus;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 6, as seen from the right thereof; andl Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section on the lineS-B of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, the improved recoil control mechanism is shown in operative combination with the spudder mechanism of the apparatus. The frame on which the spudder is mounted, including the mast and the reciprocating mechanism that operates the spudder arm, may be of any known or preferred' construction, butpreferably is of thetsame generaltype as that shown in my prior U; S. patent aforementioned, reference being directed to said patent for associated structure not shown herein.

The spudding: mechanism comprises a pair of pivotally mounted arms that operate in unison for the same purpose, said arms being of` identical construction so that a description of one will sufce for both. Obviously, however, a single arm could be used and still utilize the features of this invention. One of the spudder arms, generally designated Iii, :is shown substantially in its entirety in Figs. 1 and 2. Said arm comprises a pair of metal tubes Il, II arranged parallel to each other in a vertical plane, the rear ends of said tubes having a common end-flange l2 permanently secured thereto as by welding, there being an end cap I3 bolted to said end-flange. At their opposite or front endsthe tubes II extend into and are permanentlyunited with a hollow housing structure consisting of two parts, the rear part being designated I4 and' being secured to saidtubes, the forwardpart being designated I5 and'V being bolted to the part I4'. Nearl their rear ends, adjacent end-flange I2, the tubes II are encircled by a lcollar I6 that is permanently secured thereto, said collar carrying laterally projecting trunnions I'I at each side thereof. Said trunnions are receivable in suitable journals (not shown) on the frameof the apparatus and constitute the axis about which the spudder oscillates.

Oscillation of the spudder arms is effected by means of a pair of spaced pitmans, such as the pitman I8, which pitmans are pivotally connected at one end to a bracket I9 that is connected to both spudder arms as presently will be explained, the opposite ends of the pitmans being pivotally connected to respective rotatable crank arms (not shown) as is common practice in the art. The arrangement of the double pitmans serves to balance the load in the center of the apparatus.

The end cap I3 is formed with a pair of parallel fixed bearings 2I, 2I that are co-axially disposed vvith relation to the respective tubes II, said bearings slidably receiving one end portion of respective tubular spindles 22. The opposite ends of said spindles are permanently secured, by welding or any other suitable means, in one end of respective co-aXial tubular slides 23, which slides are of somewhat larger diameter than the spindles, and are journalled for axial movement in respective bearings 24 in the housing structure I4. Secured to the opposite ends of slides 23 is a bracket or cap 25, the latter being so constructed as to give access to the interior of the slides for a purpose presently to be explained. Each spindle 22 has a slidable spacing collar 26 mounted thereon intermediate its ends, and a coiled compression spring 21 is mounted upon the spindle between said collar and the rear face of a slide 23. A second compression spring 28 is mounted upon each spindle 22 between the collar 26 and the end cap I3, The latter is apertured as at 29, 26, Fig. 1 to enable the passage of uid from the interior of the spindles 22 into the space between said spindles and the respective tubes II, where said fluid may immerse the springs 21, 28. The end cap I3 is provided with drain openings 36, 36 to enable fluid to be withdrawn from the spudder arm at the pivoted end thereof.

Pivotally mounted upon a transverse hinge pin 32 in the cap 25 is a floating shoe designated as a whole by the numeral 33, a portion of said shoe being formed with an arcuate surface 34, the latter being engaged by the complimentally arcuate surface 35 of a cam structure 36. The cam structure 36 is pivotally mounted for angular movement about an axis that is eccentrically positioned with relation to the axis of the arcuate cam surface 35, the. arrangement being such that angular movement of the structure 36 about its axis will cause it to move toward the floating shoe 33 and force the latter, and elements connected thereto, rearwardly against the opposing force of the springs 21, 28, the cam surface 35 sliding relatively of the arcuate surface 34 during such movement of the cam structure. It will be seen that the cam structure 35 applies a variable leverage to the springs 21, 28, and thereby increases the resistance of the springs in direct proportion to the intensitx7 of the shock load in the same manner disclosed in my aforesaid patent.

As is best shown in Fig. 8, the cam structure 36 is formed at its axis of rotation with laterally extending trunnions 36a, the latter being journaled in bearings 38. At one side of the cam structure the bearings 38 are carried by a bearing plate 39, Fig. Z. that is suitably bolted to the housing sections I4, I5 at the juncture thereof. At the other side of the same structure the bearings 38 are carried by a structure I9a that is an integral part of the bracket I9 previously described, said structure I 9a being bolted to the housing sections I4, I5 in the same manner as bearing plate 39. There are oil seals, such as the seal 40, Fig. 8, mounted between the plate 36 and structure lila and the respective trunnions 36a of the cam structure 36.

For effecting angular movement of the cam structure 35, the trunnions 36a thereof are extended outwardly of the oil seals 40, and mounted upon the end portion of each trunnion is an arm 42, that projects forwardly beyond the forward end of the spudder. The two arms 42 of each spudder arm support the respective end portions of a spudding shaft 43. Journaled on the spudding shaft 43 between the two pairs of arms 42 is a peripherally grooved spudding sheave 44 about which is trained the drilling line 45. The spudding sheave 44 is provided with a guard 46 that is carried by bracket arms 41, 41 mounted on spudder shaft 43 at each side of sheave 44, said guard being guided by a guide rod 48 below the sheave. The rod 48 is supported by bracket arms 49 that are carried by arms 42 of the opposite spudder arms. The bracket arms 41 may be locked to the shaft 43 in the center thereof [or fast spudding, or they may be permitted to move laterally for perfect spooling of the drill line 45 when drilling deep wells. From the foregoing it will be seen that when drilling, the shock load from the drill line is transmitted through the spudding sheave to the spudder shaft, and from the latter by means of arms 42 through the cam structure 36 and shoe 33 to the springs 21, 28.

The spudder arm also carries the usual heel sheave 56 that guides the drill line 45 from the spudding sheave 44 to the bull reel (not shown). The heel sheave 56 is journaled upon a heel shaft 5I that is supported at its respective ends by brackets 52 permanently secured to the respective spudder arms, forwardly of the axis of oscillation thereof. The heel sheave 5E] is provided with a guard to retain the drill line therein, which guard consists of a simple rod 53 positione-d close to the periphery of the heel sheave and supported from its respective ends by bracket arms 54 attached to the respective brackets 52.

Shock load on the drill line 45 is cushioned and absorbed by the springs 21, 28 in the manner previously described. However, uncontrolled recoil of said springs, after removal of said load, quickly reverses the movement of the spudding sheave, resulting in destroying the lsynchronization of the movement of the tools and said springs. The feature of simple and eflcient recoil control mechanism is a novel feature of this invention and constitutes its main advance over the prior U. S. Patent aforementioned.

Said recoil control mechanism consists of a shock absorber of the fluid type, said shock absorber comprising a cylinder 58 that is attached to the housing structure I 5, between the arms 42, a part of said cylinder extending into the said housing and being open to the interior thereof, the outer end of said cylinder being closed. Mounted for axial reciprocatory movement in the cylinder 58 is a piston 59 carrying the usual wrist pin 66 to which is connected a piston rod 6I, the other end of the latter being connected to the cam structure 35 through the agency of a pivot pin 62. The axis of the pivot pin' 62 is coincident with the axis of the arcuate c am surface 35 0f the cam structure 36. The arrangement is such that the piston 59 is reciprocated in its cylinder 58 as the sheave arms 42 are moved between the two extreme positions shown in Fig. l and Fig. 3. The interior of the spudder arm, including the tubes I I, housing structures I4, I 5, and the cylinder. B". are 'filled `with a .heavy lubricating.; liquid such!` as: oil,.ther` level of. said.` liquid' being. indicated ati 63;l Figs. 1, randsfi; Suitably positioned .llingcandJ drainage ports: 84; 64 arey providedin-the housing.4 structure l5, anda similar and anotherfb'eing locatedin` thewalllof cylinder' 58; Thevalve means located in the piston is `so arranged asautomatically to` openand enable liquidto pass through thexpiston when the latter is moving. in the'1 'direction indicated. by the arrowfinliligaS, and automatically to close and preventthe-lpassage of "liquid through the piston when thewlatteris moving in thedirection indicatedlby the arrow in Fig. 4. Thexvalve means of the pistonV 59" comprises a valve plate 88 of general trefoil shape, which plate is slidably guidedlupona squareuaxial boss 59a on the outer endface of thepiston.59,` the'lobesof said valve plate overlying respective arcuate apertures or portsslilfin the end wall oflthe piston. The valve plate ii'isyieldingly `urged against the end face of the piston by threefrodsl that are connected at oneend Ato the valve plate and extend through thefports 69 offthepiston, theopposite end portions of: rods 1I] slldably extending through respective apertured' ears 1I, there being a coil.-

` pression spring 121 mountedupon` each rod be- 'tweenf theear 15| anda. cap, such as a nut and washer, on the adjacentf end ofthe rod. When the piston=59 isflmoving inthe-direction indicated by the arrow in'Fig. 3, the valve plate twill be` forced away from the end-1 face of the piston, against the'force of springs 12, due to thepartial Vacuurniset upiin the outer end of 'the cylinder, such movement of the valve plate uncovering the ports or apertures 69 of the piston and enabling liquid to flow therethrough.

The valve means located in the cylinder 58 comprises a plug valve generally designated 15 and best shown in Figs. 5 to 1 inclusive. Said valve member 15 has a hexagon head 15a at one end thereof, a threaded portion 15b adjacent said head, and a smooth cylindrical portion 15e beyond said threaded portion. There is an axialv bore 16 extending into the valve structure at the smooth end 15e thereof, and there is a radial bore 11 extending from the bore 16 to the outer surface of the plug. The portion 15e is formed with a circumferential groove 18 that intersects radial bore 11, the capacity of said groove for conducting fluid being substantially less than the capacity of bore 11. The cylinder 58 inclines downwardly toward its outer end, and at substantially the lowest point thereof is formed with a pair of internal, spaced-apart passages 88, 80 that are separated by an intervening wall, the latter being transversely bored at 8l to receive the smooth cylindrical portion 15o of the plug valve 15. The opposite walls of the cylinder casting at each side of passages 88 are bored and internally threaded at 82 to receive the threaded portion 15b of the plug valve, or alternatively, a closure plug 83, the arrangement being, such that the head 15a may be positioned at either side of the cylinder head to suit the convenience of the operator. A lock nut 84 is threaded onto portion 15b of the valve structure to retain the latter in properly adjusted position in a bore182i Thecylinder '.iis formed with a radial bore 85vextendingfrom its piston vchamber to thel transverserbore llltherein, and when the plug; valve 15 is in place, the bore 85 will be alignedfwiththegroove 18 of the valve structure, or the bore 11 therein, a ccording to the angular position of `saidxplug valve. The head 15a ofthe plug valvemay be engraved with suitable indicia, which indicia is determinately positioned with relation to the bore 11of the valve, as shown in Fig. '1, to indicate whether or not.` said bore 11 is in direct communication withsthe bore 85 of the cylinder head, as shown in Figure 5. Suitable markings, such as arrows 86, 86, Fig. 5, may be cast onopposite sides ofthe cylinder 58 above the threaded` bores 82 therein to facilitate the proper angular setting of the plug valve.

As previously stated, the plug valve 15 may be threaded into either bore B2 of the cylinder 58, the plug 83.fbeing threaded into the other bore 82 to closeV the same. When the plugvalve isso mounted, the axial bore 18 opens `into one of the passages llin the cylinder casting 58, which passages are `in communication with the interior of the housing structure l5 and hence are filled with the liquid with which the spudder arm is lled. When the bore 11 of the plug valve is in direct communication with the bore 85 of the cylinder 58 as. shown. in Fig.` 5, liquid may now therethrough'. into and out of the interior of said cylinder, but in a somewhat constricted course so that when `the piston 59 is moving in the direction indicated; by the arrow inFig. el., sufcient pressure is built. up in the cylinder 53 to properly cushionthe movement of the arms 42 and sheave M resulting` from the rebound of the springs 21, 28; yet enabling the said springs to expand to their maximum extent during each complete oscillation of the spudder arm. This setting of the pluglvalve is employed during normal drilling operation.

` Upon occasion it is desirable to jar the drill line, as when attempting toA dislodge tools that have` become stuck in the hold and also when shinggforslost drills after a drill line has broken. This requires an entirely different action of the i spudder, and is accomplished by turning the plug valve 15 angularly to the desired extent up to 188. Turning of the plug valve as described moves the bore 11 therein out of direct communication with the bore 85 of the cylinder casting, so that uid passing into and out of the cylinder must traverse the greatly restricted grooves 1B of the plug Valve. The arrangement is such that the oil in the cylinder builds up sufhcient pressure, upon recoil of the springs 21, 28 when the piston 59 is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, to prevent maximum outward movement of the piston during a complete operative cycle of the spudder arm, and thereby to prevent complete expansion or recoil of the springs 21, 28. The arrangement is such as to prevent the complete elimination of the spring action, and provides a means for determining the jarring load as well as an indicator to prevent serious overloads. If the plug valve is rotated only enough to vary the effective opening of the bore 11 with respect to the bore 85, the control of the recoil is varied from the minimum when the said bores are in alignment to the maximum when the bores are 180 apart. Obviously, if it is desired to completely eliminate the action of springs 21, 28, it is only necessary to provide a plug valve not having the groove 18 therein.

The combination of coil springs for absorbing the shock load with hydraulic control of the recoil of the springs results in a controlled drilling action that greatly contributes to faster drilling. The invention also makes possible a different and preferred action of the spudder arm when fishing for tools, and achieves the other advantages set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Well drilling apparatus comprising a spudder arm adapted for oscillatory movement, resilient cushioning means carried by said spudder arm, a sheave mounted for pivotal movement with relation to said spudder arm, variable leverage mechanism carried by the spudder arm and operatively interposed between the sheave and said cushioning means, and hydraulic means opposing the recoil of said cushioning means.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which the hydraulic means is operatively associated with the variable leverage mechanism.

3. A combination as defined in claim l, including valve means controlling the operation of the hydraulic means.

4. Well drilling apparatus comprising a spudder arm adapted for oscillatory movement, a sheavecarrying arm pivotally mounted on said spudder arm and adapted for angular movement relatively thereof, a resilient shock absorber carried by said spudder arm, cam means operatively interposed between said sheave arm and the Shock absorber for operating the latter upon angular movement of the sheave arm in one direction, and hydraulic means operatively connected to said cam and yieldingly opposing movement thereof as the result of reaction of said shock absorber.

5. A combination as dened in claim 4 including control means for varying the eiectiveness of the hydraulic means.

6. Well drilling apparatus comprising a spudder arm adapted for oscillatory movement, resilient cushioning means carried by said spudder arm, and hydraulic means opposing the recoil of said cushioning means.

7. Well drilling apparatus comprising a spudder arm adapted for oscillatory movement, resilient cushioning means carried by said spudder arm, hydraulic means opposing the recoil of said cushioning means, and Valve means controlling the operation of said hydraulic means.

8. Well drilling apparatus comprising a drill line and means for operating the drill line, cushioning means interposed between the drill line and its operating means for cushioning the shock of the drill line, and hydraulic means opposing the recoil of said cushioning means.

9. Well drilling apparatus comprising a drill line and means for operating the same, cushioning means interposed between the drill line and its operating means for cushioning the shock of the drill line, hydraulic means opposing the recoil of said cushioning means, and valve means controlling the operation of said hydraulic means.

l0. Well drilling apparatus comprising a drill line and means for operating the same, said lineoperating means comprising a sheave about which the line is trained, cushioning means operatively associated with said sheave for cushioning the shock of said drill line, and hydraulic means opposing the recoil of said cushioning means.

l1. A combination as deiined in claim including valve means for controlling the operation of the hydraulic means.

l2. Well drilling apparatus comprising a drill line and means for operating the same, cushioning means normally operating to cushion the shock of said drill line, and hydraulic means for preventing the functioning of said cushioning means to meet abnormal conditions of drilling.

13. Well drilling apparatus comprising a drill line and means for operating the same, cushioning means normally operating to cushion the shock of the drill line, hydraulic means normally controlling the recoil of said cushioning means, and means for utilizing the said hydraulic means to prevent the functioning of the cushioning means.

GEORGE HEINISH. 

